Morning Brief

Japan heads to the polls this Sunday in a high-stakes snap election for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the country’s first female leader. With rising tensions over Taiwan, economic uncertainty, and shifting political alliances, what could be the outcome? We discuss what’s at stake with Prof. Alexis Dudden, Visiting Professor of Japanese Studies, National University of Singapore. Image Credit: Shut...

Japan’s not the only country having elections this Sunday - our neighbors up north, Thailand, are as well. Against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions with Cambodia and a shaky economy, what’s the mood of Thai voters on the ground right now, and who might be the frontrunner in this race? We’ll be discussing this with Dr. Michael Montesano, Associate Senior Fellow, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. Im...

President Trump has just unveiled a major shift in how the US approaches critical mineral with the launch of Project Vault and  a trade zone with partners such as Japan and the European Union. Trung Ghi, Partner and Head of the Energy & Utilities with Arthur D. Little in Asia Pacific helps us understand how significant these initiatives are and how Malaysia should navigate this with our o...

Malaysia is again attempting to reform how migrant workers are recruited, amid longstanding concerns over debt bondage, misleading job promises and weak enforcement. Adrian Pereira, Executive Director of North-South Initiative, shares his views on whether proposals like direct hiring, virtual interviews and AI translation can address exploitation on the ground. This episode of The First Look was b...

Hong Kong’s housing market is emerging from a deep multi-year correction, with prices bottoming out in 2025 and rents at record highs. Patrick Wong, Head of Hong Kong & Senior Analyst, Asia Pacific Real Estate, Bloomberg Intelligence, discusses how falling interest rates, a revived stock market and renewed mainland demand may shape what happens. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.co...

Peace talks appear increasingly difficult as Russia ramps up its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and comes at a time when temperatures fall below -20°C. Dr Sonia Mycak, a research fellow, ANU Centre for European Studies shares her views on what realistic solutions could finallwary bring an end to the war, even as peace talks continue in Abu Dhabi. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omn...

PM Term Limits, Just the Bare Minimum There are plans to limit the Prime Minister’s tenure to 10 years aimed at reducing the concentration of power, strengthening institutions, and responding to public calls for greater accountability. Danesh Prakash Chacko, Chairperson, Persatuan Bertindak Pilihan Raya Bebas Dan Saksama (TINDAK) tells us if this reform is sufficient and if Kuala Lumpur should hav...

The US government has avoided another shutdown after President Donald Trump signed a US$1.2 trillion funding bill, but political tensions remain high. Dr Kathryn Robison, of the United States Studies Centre at University of Sydney shares her views into what Trump's falling approval ratings and other developments mean going into the 2026 midterm elections. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystu...

Malaysia’s digital banks were given five years by Bank Negara to reach profitability and one year has already gone by. Ravi Kittane, Partner at Ernst & Young Consulting, shares his views on the performance of these entities in Malaysia's landscape. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Incentive Framework will replace a system that’s been around since the 1980 with incentives are now time bound, tiered, and tied to national outcomes. Soh Lian Seng, Head of Tax, KPMG in Malaysia tells us what to expect from the NIF and how it will be implemented. This episode of The First Look was brought to you by Emirates. Fly better, fly Emirates Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omny...

Malaysia has launched the National Food Security Policy 2030, alongside plans for a National Food Security Act to address global food systems affected by climate volatility, geopolitics and rising costs. Professor Datin Paduka Dr Fatimah Mohamed Arshad of Universiti Putra Malaysia assesses if this policy can truly strengthen resilience and safeguard Malaysia’s food security. Image Credit: Shutters...

As tensions between the United States and Iran surge over Tehran’s nuclear programme and the brutal crackdown on domestic protests, both sides are locked in a high-stakes standoff that could reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics. Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies at The Australian National University, shares his views on this. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com S...

Immigration enforcement in the United States is under legal strain. In Minnesota, a month-long surge by ICE has involved armed arrests, civilian deaths, and growing court scrutiny, with challenges from state governments and international bodies. So what are the rights of immigrants, are the actions of ICE legal? For a clearer picture, we speak to Eric Sustad, Senior Attorney at Bashyam Global Immi...

India and the European Union announced that they finally concluded a major Free Trade Agreement (FTA) after nearly 20 years of stalled negotiations. We ask Sanjay Mathur, Chief Economist for Southeast Asia and India, ANZ Bank as to the structure of this FTA and which industries stand to benefit. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin stepped down as PN chair earlier this month, the question of who leads the coalition has become increasingly contested, with Bersatu and PAS offering different versions. Associate Professor Dr Syaza Shukri, Department Head of Political Science and Madani Studies, International Islamic University Malaysia will shed some light on the turmoil within the coalition, and h...

Buy Now Pay Later use is surging in Malaysia. Transactions jumped to 243 million last year, worth more than 21 billion ringgit, with outstanding BNPL borrowing now close to 5 billion ringgit. Young people and lower income households make up a big share of users, even as overdue loans remain relatively low. Wan Amirah Wan Usamah, Research Associate, Khazanah Research Institute explains what this ra...

China’s military leadership is facing fresh upheaval by the purge of two of its most senior generals including Zhang Youxia, one of President Xi Jinping’s closest commanders. The shake up could leave China’s top military body smaller, raising new questions about power loyalty and control in Beijing. We speak to Dr. Yang Zi, Research Fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Te...

Malaysia’s anti-corruption efforts are under renewed scrutiny following claims of billions recovered in stolen public funds. Pushpan Murugiah of the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism joins us to discuss whether asset recovery is enough, the case for an Ombudsman, and the effectiveness of oversight over the MACC. This episode of The First Look was brought to you by Emirates. Fly better, fly...

Singapore’s three biggest banks have turned in a resilient but mixed performance as they closed out 2025. But with global rate cuts taking hold, what is their outlook for 2026 ? Sarah Jane Mahmud, Senior Industry Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence gives us her perspective whilst we also ask if Maybank's ROEs targets for 2030 are achievable. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener f...

Myanmar has concluded its latest general election under heavy restrictions, with major opposition parties banned and large parts of the country unable to vote due to ongoing conflict. Journalist Erin Cook joins us to assess how credible the polls were, what the results mean for Myanmar’s political future, and how regional and international actors are responding. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See...

Recently, the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that middle powers need to move from being rule-takers to rule-shapers. From a trade and investment perspective, how realistic is that ambition for Asian middle powers? Jayant Menon, Visiting Senior Fellow, ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute tells us his perspective. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After years of political and legal uncertainty, TikTok has struck a deal allowing it to continue operating in the US under a majority American-owned joint venture. Dr Bradley Freeman, Professor of Creative Arts & Media, School of Arts, Sunway University, examines what this means for data security, algorithmic control, and if  this model addresses the original issue. Image Credit: Shutters...

Applications to Malaysia’s civil service are falling even as the Public Service Commission plans to hire more in 2026. Syafiq Ridzwan, Chief of Information, Malaysian Youth Council, shares his insights into how changing entry requirements and attitudes of civil servants towards corruption, shape the quality of public service. This episode of The First Look was brought to you by Emirates. Fly bette...

Earlier this month, Sunway Berhad launched a conditional takeover offer for IJM Corporation Berhad, valued about 11 billion ringgit, largely through a share swap. The deal is framed to create a larger ‘national champion’ in construction and property, but it comes at a tricky time as MACC has launched a probe on IJM. We ask Pankaj C. Kumar, Business Commentator for his view on the valuations and if...

Private healthcare costs are rising, insurance premiums have jumped, and the central bank has published a whitepaper proposing a base medical and health insurance plan (also known as MHIT) as part of a broader effort to rein in costs. We ask if this offers adequate protection and whether it can meaningfully address medical inflation. Dr. Khor Swee Kheng, Chief Executive Officer of Angsana Health a...